BEST BANK
Public Bank
BEST EQUITY HOUSE
CIMB
BEST DEBT HOUSE
Barclays Capital
BEST M&A HOUSE
CIMB
Public Bank wins the award for best bank in Malaysia for another year. Although not the largest bank, it is third largest by assets and is the clear market leader in terms of financial performance, with a 38-year history of profitability. In 2004, net income of $352 million was earned from total assets of $24.2 billion. With a net interest margin of 3.14% and a cost-to-income ratio of just 38.2%, the return on average assets was about 1.7%, equating to a return on average equity of 15.74%.
Public bank is a full-service bank in Malaysia, offering an extensive range of retail, corporate and wholesale banking products, including consumer and hire purchase finance, merchant banking and stockbroking, and trade finance. The bank operates 252 domestic branches and employs more than 12,600 staff.
CIMB retains the best equity house in Malaysia award. Unlike many domestic securities firms that operate exclusively in the local market, CIMB is equally comfortable in the international environment and will give any international firm a run for its money in the global distribution of Malaysian equities.